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Mary Mulhern to run for Tampa City Council by Mitch E. Perry

Mary Mulhern, who lost to Rose Ferlita in the race for Hillsborough County Commission District 1 seat earlier this month, announced today that she will now run for the seat Ferlita is leaving on the Tampa City Council.

Mulhern Ã¢â¬Ës 2nd attempt at political office wonÃ¢â¬â¢t be easy. SheÃ¢â¬â¢ll face Sean Harrison, who has represented New Tampa on the City Council since 1999. Being term-limited out of that office, Harrison has already declared his candidacy for the City wide seat in 2007.

There has also been speculation that former Hillsborough County Commissioner Thomas Scott, who lost in his bid for a County wide seat on November 7th, may also join the race.

Mulhern received over 27,000 votes in running against the much better known Rose Ferlita, gaining 41% of the vote to FerlitaÃ¢â¬â¢s 58%.

MulhernÃ¢â¬â¢s platform in her County Commission race consisted in part on concern about growth and transportation issues Ã¢â¬â issues that she says will easily transfer over to her Tampa City Council race (roll tape#1 o.q.Ã¢â¬? prominent onesÃ¢â¬?)

Before running for office this year, Mulhern was probably best known in the Tampa bay area as the art critic for the Weekly Planet. SheÃ¢â¬â¢s a University of Michigan graduate who served as an administrator at the Art Institute of Chicago for 13 years. WMNF asked her about the knocks she may incur regarding her experience against Sean Harrison (roll tape#2 o.q.Ã¢â¬? running right nowÃ¢â¬?)

ThatÃ¢â¬â¢s Mary Mulhern, a Democrat from South Tampa who this afternoon announced her candidacy for the Tampa City CouncilÃ¢â¬â¢s District 2 seat next March. Mulhern is married to Cam Dilly, a marketing executive and one of the original founders of WMNF .